The document describes the restoration of Red Mill Pond by removing an old saw mill dam and creating a new stream channel. A temporary bypass channel was constructed to allow water flow during dam removal and new channel construction. Once the dam was removed, springs and seeps became evident. Native plants were installed and began growing quickly. Within a year of restoration, fish species that previously inhabited the area before the dam had dispersed into the new channel. The only failure was an area lined with riprap under a bridge that began collapsing, showing the benefits of natural stabilization methods.

1. Red Mill Pond
Great Lakes Fishery & Ecosystem
Restoration Program
Section 506, WRDA 2002
Restoration of Stream, Wet Meadow, Spring & Seep Habitats
w/ Naturally Steep Slopes

2. Pre-Project w/Dam
An old saw mill dam impounded the very
headwaters of the Little Calumet River. The
impoundment flooded out a knob & kettle
valley, which was riddled with springs &
seeps that fed the Little Calumet River. The
saw mill dam was put in around 1875 and
rebuilt several times, in which the
impoundment naturalized into a hemi
marsh. Naturalization occurred before
invasive species were present within the
region, so the resulting hemi marsh is of
high floristic value, as well as the
surrounding mesic forest (albeit secondary
growth forest).
Dam Crest

3. By-Pass Channel &
Dam Removal
A temporary bypass channel was created
to allow water to continually flow down
stream while the dam was being removed
and while the construction of the new
channel was implemented. Once the new
channel was restored, the temporary
bypass channel was turned back into wet
meadow.

4. Creation of New
Stream Channel
Once the impoundment was dewatered,
creation of the new channel was
implemented. This consisted of creating a
linear depression what the stream path
was to go. Then natural substrates and
boulder riffles were placed in the stream
channel to a) provide dynamic stability, b)
provide substrates indicative of the reach
and c) provide habitat for
macroinvertebrates and fishes.
Past practices would have lined the whole
channel with quarried, angular riprap,
which is equivalent to a concrete channel
as far as biodiversity is concerned.

5. Dam Removed
Once the pool area sufficiently dried out,
which it never really did due to the high
volumes of groundwater discharge, various
spring, seep and fen hydrology became
evident. These rare and high quality
hydrology based wetlands deserved
attention to detail; ensuring natural
erosion protection was used and not
packing the rivulets with riprap.
The revealed seeps were lined with small
cobble and large gravel only. The slopes
were steep, ranging from 1:1 to 1:3.
Main Known Seep
Many Unknown Seeps

6. Biodegradable Straw
Matting
The straw matting was used because plant
growth was suspected to be of high rate the
following spring due to the impeccable
hydrology and natural till soils. This thin
matting would support this situation. The
cobble lined seep was left uncovered to
promote faster vegetation growth.

7. Coir Coconut Logs
The coconut fiber logs were added to
spread sheet flow over the area that would
become a fen. The coconut fiber logs were
also used in a large spring & seep that was
of shallow gradient to prevent head-cutting
during the period before plants were
established.
The use of riprap or additional rock in this
system would have created an adverse
affect to the wetland plant communities
and hydrologies, which is the opposite of
ecosystem restoration. All stabilization
materials used had a longevity period
sufficient enough to last until plant root
matrix systems took over.

8. Small Batch of Native
Plants
Nearly 50 species of wetland plants were
plugged into the designated
hydrogeomorphic zones: fen, seep, wet
meadow, marsh, stream. The contract
required both genetic specificity and for
the plants to exhibit a robust vigor, as you
can see in the photo they are extremely
healthy.

9. Native Plants Begin
to Take Over
As expected, the native plugs, with
supplemental seeding of annuals, began to
cover the ground in mid June. Main Known Seep
Big Flat Seep

10. Plants in July
Quick growth with appropriate species
selection in terms of genetics and
hydrology preferences.

11. Plants in August
The steep cobble and gravel seep is
completely shrouded in native plants, as
well as the areas of bank that have steep
slopes (1:1).
Main Known Seep
Flat Seep

12. First Fall
No signs of rilling, headcutting or erosion
anywhere within the site, and there was
continuous water flow out of the seeps and
the site experience several good sized
floods.

13. Only Project Failure
Certain project engineers insisted on
riprap under the bridge, because that is
just how this is supposed to be built. I had
no examples to show otherwise, so now I
am thankful for this example. See next
slide…

14. RipRap & Geotextile
To date, the bottom 3rd of the riprap has
fallen into the stream. As the riprap falls
into the stream, it is removed from the
stream and the exposed fabric is cut back.
Now native plants are filling in these areas
where the fabric is being cut out.
Bank Toe Under Bridge
Adjacent to RipRap Under Bridge

15. Post Restoration Fish
Monitoring, Summer
2012
All species that were known to exist below
the dam before the project dispersed into
the new channel less than 1-year after the
restoration project.
Common Name Scientific Name Number
creek chub Semotilus atromaculatus 46
centralmudminnow Umbra limi 20
largemouth bass Micropterus salmoides 17
green sunfish Lepomis cyanellus 13
yellow bullhead Ameiurus natalis 11
starhead topminnow Fundulus dispar 5
blacknose dace Rhinicthys obtusus 4
bluegill Lepomis macrochirus 4
grass pickerel Esox americanus vermiculatus 2
chestnut lamprey Ichthyomyzon castaneus 1
lake chubsucker Erimyzon sucetta 1
brown trout Salmo trutta 1
Total 125

16. 16
Rhinichthys obtusus (Blacknose Dace)
Fundulus dispar
(Northern Starhead Topminnow)
Erimyzon sucetta (Lake Chubsucker)
Ichthyomyzon castaneus (Chestnut Lamprey)
All fish photos by Dr. Phil Willink
J.G. Shedd Aquarium